Souls and Soles
by TVFanoftheYear
Summary: It was a magical moment in the middle of an ordinary day.


Just a little something I came up with in a moment of inspiration. So much ShOliver love...

* * *

Shane's nose twitched. She hadn't meant to fall asleep-nothing was more important to her than devotional time with Oliver. But when the humidity broke, Shane saw an opportunity and took it.

Oliver had purchased a hammock for the two looming trees firmly planted in the back half of the yard. He claimed they were practically begging to be tied together with a hammock. And since Shane adored being outside, she couldn't have agreed more.

It had been a terribly humid and hot August, and they had barely found the time to use it between working and the borderline oppressive heat. This was the first time since they purchased it that a perfect storm of a lazy summer afternoon sans humidity presented itself.

Between the Word, Oliver's heartbeat, and the cotton plaid shirt beneath her cheek, Shane acquired a certain level of all-consuming peace and calm. Add to it the steady tone and rhythm of Oliver's voice as he read aloud, and Shane had no choice but to surrender to an afternoon nap.

Her attention went immediately to her breathing. She didn't want Oliver to realize that she had nodded off, only to awake some undisclosed time later.

"You missed part of our vows," Oliver commented gingerly as he laid his Bible on his stomach to turn the page. His other arm was wrapped around Shane's shoulder, his thumb gently tracing circles into her arm as he read. Yet another thing which caused Shane to melt into his side and into a peaceful slumber, if only he understood his impact…

"Don't be mad," she mumbled into his chest, still unwilling to fully recover from her nap in hopes sleep might return to claim her for just a bit longer.

Oliver chuckled, "I'm kind of jealous. I have been valiantly battling a similar desire to nap-and to think I was reading for your benefit as well as mine…."

He laughed as he used his only hand to place his page marker and set the Bible carefully on the ground next to the hammock. Shane couldn't help but smile, still unwilling to move a muscle, and he obviously unwilling to break the contact.

Shane shifted her gaze up towards his face, only to see him carefully studying his feet, as if deciding whether or not to leave his shoes on. One decision would jostle the hammock, threatening her return to dreamland,to stay still would likely ensure her return.

But it was clear he hadn't given much thought to her course he chose to remove his shoes, jostling the hammock as anticipated, exposing his ten perfect toes to the afternoon air, pushing his shoes off the hammock to fall next to her already removed summer sandals.

"Ready now?" Shane teased, as if his preparations for a nap were beyond the normal.

There was a moment of silence as he pondered her question, "Oh, one more thing-"

Shane propped herself up on her elbow to find out what more he could possibly need to do to get comfortable, only to find his eyes trained on hers as he lifted her wedding-ringed hand to his lips, gracing it with a gentle kiss, before placing it back from where it came, holding it with his own.

"Sweet dreams," he said with a sweet smile.

The blood rushed to her cheeks as butterflies filled her stomach. After two years of marriage he still managed to make her feel as though she was falling in love for the first time over and over again-and she adored every second of it. Part of her almost felt guilty for her mild frustration over his movement of the hammock, but as she re-positioned herself at Oliver's side to return to dreamland, she began to wonder if she wasn't already there.

A sudden desire to absorb the moment overcame her. It wasn't often Shane felt completely compelled to capture a moment and commit it to memory. But as she found herself focused on his two perfectly symmetrical feet, Shane's thoughts became filled with descriptions for which she had no explanation. It was as if her heart started whispering to her a series of beautiful and humbling truths:

 _Those feet were formed specifically to walk beside you, that hand was shaped to perfectly hold yours, his eyes were tinted that particular shade of blue to captivate your attention, his heartbeat rhythm is a lullaby composed for the sole purpose of sending you, and only you, to sleep._

An overwhelming sense of awe overcame her as she repeated the words in her mind, desperate to capture them all in their exact order. She had never had a moment quite like this, and she wondered what she'd done to deserve any of it, and she heard that voice one more time.

 _Nothing, it was always yours to have._

A smile broke out across her face, and a wave of gratefulness flooded over to the point she almost couldn't hold back the tears of joy threatening to soak Oliver's shirt and her pillow. Shane took a deep breath in and let the breath release in a measured way, reigning them in.

She took one last look around the yard before allowing her eyes to close, realizing that dreamland had nothing on the life she lived when fully awake.

* * *

In case you're wondering, yes, I do believe God picks out our partners down the very last detail. You should, too!


End file.
